Get rid of smell from car boot

Nov 14, 2011 12 Replies

I recently bought a used car. There is a large stain on the carpet in the boot from which emits a very unpleasant whiff. I don't get it in the car but everytime I open the boot, it wafts out. I'm not sure what was spilled there. I don't think it's blood :-) . Part of the stain is on the panel covering the spare wheel which can be lifted out of the car. The remainder is on the carpet beside this panel.



What is the best way to get rid of smell?


Febreze or Neutrodol.

Or an angle grinder.

In message , Wesley writes

If it was milk or cream, sell the car:-)

regards

If you feel it is from sort of organic matter, you need an eznyme based cleaner/deodoriser to get rid of it. Prochem do one as do ValetPro, the VP one is called Enzyme Odour Eater but not sure what the Prochem is called; call them to find out and then you can simply collect a small container from a local janitorial supplier :)

You mix it up with warm water, spray it on generously, and then you would spray some on a towel of some sort dampened with water and place it over the offending area so it remains damp for a good few hours.

The Prochem one is called 'Odour Neutraliser' :-)

Febreze, or soak it with a strong solution of sodium bicarb.

Can the carpet be removed? If so, don't bother messing about with in the car. Take it out, lay it out on the lawn (assuming you have a lawn!), and take a hosepipe to it (both sides). When thoroughly saturated, use warm water and one of the proprietary carpet cleaners. Finally, give it another good hosing, and allow to dry.

Throw the carpet out and get a replacement either from a dealer or a scrapyard.

Wash out the boot floor with Jeyes Fluid or washing soda.

An effective way of getting rid of smells in a home is a burning candle. Google search explains the science.

I needed to do this when I rented a property that had been occupied by a smoker, fixed smell in a few hours. For obvious reasons, not safe to try in a car however. Lyn

In message , Lyndsay Williams writes

Did you also say prayers and chant magic incantations? While a candle (or other 'pleasant' deodoriser) may mask a slight background smell, I doubt if it will be a permanent cure for strong pongs (vomit, spilled milk etc).

The only way of really curing the smell is to remove what is causing it. In this case, it would probably be most effective of the boot carpet could be first removed from the car, and given a proper seeing to. Or, as one poster suggested, simply replace it.

What works well for this kind of stuff is Pet Stain/Odour remover. It is enzyme based. You literally just soak the area and leave it to dry, then hoover it :)

The one we have used on more than one occasion is called "Simple Solution Stain+Odor Remover"...

Oh and PS. This stuff is not a great stain remover. But it works wonders on odours. Just look at the reviews on the web.

If you need to remove a stain too then traditional detergent-based cleaners can be used (but not before as detergents can kill the bacteria and denature the enzymes that this product contains to do the work).

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